Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management

✍ Scribed by Ian Nuberg, Brendan George, Rowan Reid

• Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 360
• Edition: Pap/DVD
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

In its early days, agroforestry may have been viewed as the domain of the landcare enthusiast. Today, integrating trees and shrubs into productive farming systems is seen as a core principle of sustainable agriculture. Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management provides the foundation for an understanding of agroforestry practice in both high and low rainfall zones across Australia. Three major areas are discussed: environmental functions of trees in the landscape (ecosystem mimicry, hydrology, protection of crops, animals and soil, biodiversity, aesthetics); productive functions of trees (timber, firewood, pulp, fodder, integrated multi-products); and the implementation of agroforestry (design, evaluation, establishment, adoption, policy support).The book also includes a DVD that features videos on forest measurement and harvesting; Treesmart, an agroforestry species database; a Farm Forestry Toolbox; a Farm Forestry & Agroforestry Reference Library and many regionally specific agroforestry resources. Agroforestry for Natural Resource Management is an essential resource for students in agroforestry courses, as well as a valuable introduction to the field for professionals in related areas.FeaturesWide coverage of the topic, from a ‘principles’ perspective Written by leading researchers and practitioners from around Australia, with expertise in agronomy, forestry, natural resource management, community and molecular ecologies, agricultural economics, soil science, hydrology, landscape architecture and rural sociology Comprehensive and integrated treatment of the environmental roles and productive potential of agroforestry across southern Australia Comprehensive and readily useable agroforestry and farm forestry resource base on DVD

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 6
Contributors......Page 11
Acknowledgements......Page 12
What is agroforestry?......Page 14
Agroforestry in Australia......Page 18
Agroforestry for integrated NRM......Page 23
Design and planning processes in agroforestry......Page 24
Summary and invitation to this book......Page 27
References......Page 31
Part I Environmental function of trees in the landscape......Page 34
Introduction......Page 36
Implications of the mimic concept......Page 38
Perenniality and the trade-off between production and persistence......Page 41
Competition rules in early-stage succession......Page 43
Managing perenniality and competition......Page 44
Conclusion......Page 45
References......Page 46
Introduction......Page 50
How trees use water......Page 51
Groundwater flow systems......Page 55
Ecological optimality and the groundwater balance......Page 56
References......Page 61
Hillslope processes......Page 66
Agroforestry plantings as sinks for water and pollutants......Page 68
Guiding principles for designing plantings to trap sediments......Page 69
Catchment water balance and stream flow......Page 72
Impacts of agroforestry on stream salinity......Page 73
Guiding principles and modelling tools for catchment-scale planning......Page 76
Conclusion......Page 77
References......Page 78
Early understanding of the value of windbreaks......Page 82
Physical damage processes......Page 86
Australian National Windbreaks Program......Page 89
Protecting crops from physical damage......Page 93
Cost–benefit analysis of windbreaks......Page 94
Conclusion......Page 95
References......Page 96
Defining biodiversity......Page 100
Modifying agroforestry to enhance biodiversity......Page 102
Applying theory to specific agroforestry situations......Page 111
Agroforestry’s role in protecting biodiversity......Page 115
References and further reading......Page 117
Introduction......Page 120
Weed invasion......Page 121
Genetic contamination......Page 123
Assessing the risk......Page 128
Managing the risk......Page 133
References......Page 135
Introduction......Page 140
Landscape assessment models for agroforestry......Page 142
Landscape management planning and design guidelines......Page 144
New projects for integrated agroforestry lead land management......Page 147
Conclusion......Page 152
References......Page 154
Part II Productive function of trees in the landscape......Page 156
Hardwoods and softwoods......Page 158
Tree growth and wood production......Page 159
Log value and prices......Page 165
Principles of silviculture......Page 167
References......Page 171
Target logs for sawn timbers and veneers......Page 174
Learning from nature: how native forests grow wood......Page 176
Silvicultural regimes......Page 180
Practical guides for managing competition......Page 182
Pruning for clearwood sawlogs......Page 185
How to prune......Page 189
Silviculture for multiple values......Page 192
References......Page 193
Favourable environment for a firewood industry......Page 196
Plantation firewood species......Page 199
Firewood silviculture......Page 200
Firewood harvesting and processing systems......Page 204
Viability of growing firewood......Page 205
Role of firewood production in natural resource management......Page 208
References and further reading......Page 209
Introduction......Page 212
Evolution of the industry......Page 213
Contractual arrangements......Page 214
Agroforestry using pulpwood species......Page 215
Market prospects......Page 219
Site and species selection......Page 221
Soils and landscapes......Page 222
Site and stand management......Page 225
References......Page 229
Introduction......Page 232
Pasture production near trees......Page 233
Grazing near trees......Page 236
Stock shade and shelter......Page 238
Trees for shelter......Page 240
Integrating trees and grazing at the farm level......Page 243
References......Page 248
Saltland in Australia......Page 252
Salinity, waterlogging and inundation......Page 254
Matching sites to pastures......Page 256
Animal nutrition......Page 257
Water use......Page 258
Establishing saltbush......Page 259
References......Page 260
Extent and nature of dryland salinity......Page 264
Genotypic differences in response to salt and waterlogging......Page 266
Minimising risks to growth......Page 269
Economic considerations......Page 273
Prospects for saline land rehabilitation......Page 274
References......Page 276
Introduction......Page 280
Why mallee?......Page 281
Mallee industry design and development......Page 282
Wider application of the mallee model......Page 286
New species, new products and new industries: FloraSearch......Page 290
References......Page 291
Part III Implementation of agroforestry......Page 294
Introduction......Page 296
Private and social objectives......Page 298
Financial investment analysis......Page 299
Discounting......Page 303
Treatment of inflation: real vs nominal discount rates......Page 305
Investment criteria......Page 306
Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis......Page 311
Economic analysis: the broader social analysis......Page 313
Conclusion......Page 318
References......Page 319
Introduction......Page 322
Causes of market failure......Page 323
Net benefit test for market failure......Page 327
Evidence for and against market failure related to agroforestry......Page 328
Who should pay?......Page 331
Conclusion......Page 332
References......Page 333
Introduction......Page 336
Growth of farm forestry in Australia......Page 337
Australian policy context......Page 338
Farm-based forestry: contention and agreement......Page 339
Socioeconomics of agroforestry in the wheat-sheep zone......Page 340
Which landholders might adopt agroforestry......Page 342
Supporting agroforesty adoption: putting trees on Australian farms......Page 344
Conclusion......Page 348
References......Page 349
Index......Page 354